and said, “What is the challenge that this warrior is directing at me?”
Tgon-Gee looked at the Glod warrior and said, “We have an ancient rite that allows only the leaders of our constituent nations to challenge the selection of a new monarch. It has not been used for more than 1,800 solar rotations.” Then he turned to the Warrior and said, “Hakn, I will kill you for this outrage.”
“Maybe you will, but at least I will have my challenge before you do.”
Tag had not moved from where he was standing in front of Danielle. He stood there seemingly relaxed with his eyes closed. Then he said, “Hakn has chosen the five warriors to perform the challenge.” Hakn was stunned, how could this off worlder know this? Tag opened his eyes and said, “He has selected you,” and he pointed to a large glod warrior in front of him, “and he has chosen you three,” and he pointed out three warriors behind them, “and he has also selected you,” and as he pointed at the fifth selection, he walked in front of the fifth Warrior that was at the head of the group and stared up at him directly in the eye. He said to that warrior, “Do you agree with him that she is unworthy of being your queen?”
The huge Glod warrior looked down at Tag and said, “I do.”
Tag said to Danielle, “Come here and stand in front of this warrior.” Danielle walked and stood directly in front of the big Glod and also looked him in the eye. Tag said to the warrior and to Hakn, “As I understand it, you are not going to attack her but her chosen champion. If the Champion fails, she will not be selected as your queen. Is that right?”
Hakn said, “I see Tgon-Gee has taught you our traditions.”
Tgon-Gee said, “I have not told them of any of our traditions. I told you they seem to know us better than we know ourselves. Did I also mention that he has the aura of Nim-Qur?”
Hakn said, “You lie to try and protect them.”
The leader of the fifty Peers said from the front of the building, “Hakn, we never lie and his aura is even darker and brighter than Nim-Qur himself.”
Silence reigned in the huge crowd. Nim-Qur was the most deadly Glod that had ever raised a sword. It was he who took the worlds from others to form the Glod Union. He never lost a fight. The tremendous crowd wondered if it were possible to have two such powerful psychics. Some just refused to believe that this Human male was stronger than the mystical Nim-Qur. Hakn was obviously shaken by the announcement from the Peers. “All of you will lie to protect this stranger. I do not lift my challenge.”
The crowd moved back and formed a circle around the people involved. Hakn said, “Give the Human weapons and let the first contest begin.”
Tag felt his anger approaching rage. He could feel his sense of all things around him growing in magnitude and he sensed the warriors confronting him getting ready for the fight. Tag looked at Hakn and said, “If it’s not a violation of your rite, I would prefer to take my weapons from the warriors that have insulted my wife’s integrity. I also would humbly request that the first four I pointed out attack me together.” The fifth warrior he pointed his finger at and said, “Him, I’ll save him for last.”
Hakn roared, “You make a mockery of our beliefs. Teach this Human a lesson, you four attack him now.”
The four selected Glod warriors looked at each other and by silent agreement rushed to the attack.
Tag was amazed at his emotions. These warriors had endangered Danielle and he felt cold rage engulf him. He stood there and felt his psychic talent building almost like it couldn’t wait to destroy these naysayers. Tag watched as the world slowed down around him and come to a stop. He saw the four Glod warriors surrounding him start to move toward him and he saw that the biggest warrior behind him would arrive first aiming a sword slash to take off his head followed closely by the warrior to his right slashing to take off his legs. He knew he could probably kill all four before they had a chance to move but he actually wanted to fight. He turned and moved toward the warrior behind him and the world around him began moving very slowly again. The warrior behind him came forward in slow motion and he ducked under the slash and slammed his fist into the Glod’s midsection doubling him over; he then slammed his palm into the big Glods chin lifting him off the ground. He then grabbed the arm of the big Glod and swung the warrior into the path of the leg cut and saw the second attacker cut both of the big Glods legs off just above the knees. He broke the warriors arm holding the sword and wrenched it from his hand. He then turned and parried a blow from the third warrior just arriving from the left and then turned and stuck his sword into the shoulder of the fourth warrior coming from behind him. He ducked another thrust from the warrior to the left and spun in a crouch and cut one of his legs off; the attacker crumpled and fell to the ground. He then rolled to his left as the two remaining warriors rushed at him. He came out of his roll and jumped a leg cut by one of them rising almost 7 feet in the air in front of the Glod that had cut the legs off the first Glod and kicked him in the face slamming him back into the hardened brick path striking his head against the unyielding surface. He then confronted the warrior with the injured shoulder and parried six sword strikes easily before spinning and slashing violently at the huge Glod warrior. The Glod stood still for a moment as Tag turned toward the warrior that had been slammed hard against the concrete. As he approached the prone warrior the Glod he had slashed toppled over as his head fell off. Everything was still moving so slowly. The mass of Glods expected Tag to kill the warrior lying prone on the brick path. Tag stepped up to him put his hand under the stunned Glods head and said, “I’ll give you a few moments to collect yourself.” He looked at the wounded warrior that had his leg cut off struggling to rise but failing. The warrior that had both of his legs cut off had died from loss of blood. He gently put the Glod’s head down and then he turned and looked at the fifth Glod standing in front of Danielle and the huge crowd of Glod could see the menace in his eyes. He stood, picked up a second sword, and purposefully walked with a sword in each hand toward the fifth warrior standing in front of Danielle. As Tag approached the warrior, everyone could see the danger radiating from this dangerous Human; Danielle held up her hand and stopped him.
“Enough,” she yelled. She turned from the huge Glod warrior in front of her and walked over to the wounded Glod struggling with his severed leg. She looked into the crowd and said in a loud voice, “Someone come and tend to this wounded warrior.” No one moved and she yelled, “Do it now!”
Immediately several doctors in the crowd rushed out and started working on the two downed warriors. One doctor took a leather strap from the warriors harness and made a make shift tourniquet to stop the bleeding. “Is he going to live,” Danielle asked?
The doctor looked up and said, “I think so. We can give him a transfusion and he stands a good chance.” She walked over to the prone Glod that had hit his head on the path and asked, “Is he alright?”
The doctor looked up and frowned, “He has a concussion but he should recover.”
Danielle placed a hand on the warriors shoulder and said, “You fought well; live and fight another day, your people need you.” The huge Glod looked up at her and then nodded slowly. She stood and looked out at the crowd and every one could see her anger.
She looked at Hakn-Yee and said, “You stand there and caused two of my finest, bravest warriors to lose their lives to a friend of your people. You waste the vibrancy of their lives because you don’t agree with my selection. How dare you waste the lives of your people when you will need everyone in the upcoming confrontation with the Alliance? My fellow Humans and Cainth are willing to die to protect you against your enemies. Is it too much to expect you to do the same for each other? I didn’t ask to be your queen; I was selected. I will not rule a people who value the lives of their defenders so little. All of your warriors are needed in the coming conflict and you waste them. Every one of you is precious to this universe and every one of you has the capability to make it a better place to raise your families.” She then walked over in front of Tag and said loudly, “There will be no more killing today.”
Tag felt his rage drain away. He took the two Glod long swords and threw them both at the two wooden posts that were on each side of the entrance at the Solar Arch that led into the Quilleron Temple fifty yards away. They flew past the fifth Glod’s head faster than the eye could follow and struck the two posts embedding themselves halfway to the hilt. The crowd was stunned. Those two posts were made from wood that was harder than steel.
Danielle turned and again faced the fifth warrior selected as Tag stood five feet away and said, “I will not stand here and see you die. You will not defeat my husband; he cannot be defeated. Your rite is not given a fair chance when you have to face death face to face with no chance of winning. You will make the decision. You will decide for your race here and now if I am to be your Queen. If you say you don’t want me as your ruler, I will leave and your people will have to find another. You will decide for your people.”
The huge Glod warrior looked down on the small human female and saw she meant what she said. He saw determination and real anger in her eyes coupled with strength of spirit and a softness of real concern for his safety. She moved him deeply. The Glod Warrior had just seen the Human male totally defeat four of his fellow champions
